DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoguet (US 2009/0138113) in view of Thompson et al. (“Thompson”, US 11,126,320).
As per claim 1, Hoguet teaches a user device, the user device comprising:
one or more processors (Hoguet, para.441; Fig.74, processor 520); and
one or more memory storing instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors (Hoguet, para.441; Fig.74, memory 522), configure the user device to:
present a 3D scene showing a first object and a second object (Hoguet, Fig.17, 3D view 262; para.270);
present a menu, the menu including a set of Graphical User Interface (GUI) elements (Hoguet, Fig.43-46, product set 886/920; para.359-369, 376, product set selected and previewed), a first GUI element from the set of GUI elements including a set of visual modifier depictions, a first visual modifier depiction from the set of visual modifier depictions corresponding to the first object and indicating a first visual modifier for the first object, a second visual modifier depiction from the set of visual modifier depictions corresponding to the second object and indicating a second visual modifier for the second object (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers);
receive a first user interaction indicating selection of the first GUI element (Hoguet Fig.43-46, para.359-369, product set 886 selected and previewed);
modify, in the 3D scene, a first presentation of the first object based on the selection such that the first visual modifier is applied to the first object in the 3D scene (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379 fill in products from modifiers listed in 910, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers); and
modify, in the 3D scene, a second presentation of the second object based on the selection such that the second visual modifier is applied to the second object in the 3D scene (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379 fill in products from modifier listed in 910, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers).
However, Hoguet does not teach the 3D design to be a mixed reality scene. Thompson teaches a device for modifying objects within a mixed reality scene (Thompson, col.2, lines 7-18, 3D interface for mixed reality environment). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include Thompson’s teaching with Hoguet’s device in order to view realistically changes to an environment.
As per claim 2, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the user device of claim 1, wherein the execution of the instructions further configures the user device to:
receive a second user interaction with the first object in the MR scene, the second user interaction changing the visual modifier applied to the first object to a third visual modifier (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379, objects may be changed to another modifier thru Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers);
generate a second GUI element including a second set of visual modifier depictions, wherein the second set of visual modifier depictions includes a third visual modifier depiction that corresponds to the first object and indicates the third visual modifier for the first object (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379, objects may be changed to another modifier thru Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers); and
present the second GUI element in the menu (Hoguet, para.335, 367, 377, previously saved product sets displayed).
As per claim 3, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the user device of claim 2, wherein the second GUI element is saved to a user profile to be used when presenting the menu (Hoguet, para.335, 367, 377, product sets may be saved with changes to be displayed later).
As per claim 4, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the user device of claim 1, wherein the execution of the instructions further configures the user device to: transmit a search request including an identifier of the first object and the first visual modifier; and receive a search result indicating one or more items that correspond to the first object and that have a property that corresponds to the first visual modifier (Hoguet, Fig.44, refine search 890; para.341-350, 367-368, search result may be refined).
As per claim 5, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the user device of claim 4, wherein the execution of the instructions further configures the user device to: transmit the search request including a third visual modifier for the first object; and receive a search result indicating one or more items that have a property that corresponds to the third visual modifier (Hoguet, Fig.44, refine search 890; para.341-350, 367-368, search result may be refined)..
As per claim 6, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the user device of claim 1, wherein the second visual modifier is a same visual modifier as the first visual modifier and the first visual modifier includes at least one of: a color, a texture, a finish, a transparency, a brightness, a pattern, or a material (Hoguet, para.340-341, 367, color, materials).
As per claim 7, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the user device of claim 1, wherein the set of visual modifier depictions includes at least a first depiction shape indicating a first object attribute of the first object and a second depiction shape different than the first object attribute indicating a second object attribute different than the first object attribute (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers have associated shapes).
As per claim 8, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the user device of claim 7, wherein the first object attribute includes at least one of: a group the first object is associated with or an orientation of the first object (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers are group by association).
As per claim 9, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the user device of claim 1, wherein the execution of the instructions further configures the user device to: present a second menu that includes an indication of visual modifiers depicted in the set of visual modifier depictions (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers).
Claims 10 and 17 are similar in scope to claim 1, and are therefore rejected under similar rationale.
As per claim 11, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the method of claim 10, wherein the first object and the second object correspond to respective portions included in a same physical item (Hoguet Fig.43-46, para.359-369, product set 886 of a kitchen item).
As per claim 12, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the method of claim 10, wherein the first visual modifier depicted by the first GUI element indicates a first object grouping and the second visual modifier depicted by the first GUI element indicates a second object grouping (Hoguet, Fig.45, para.369-379, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers are group by associated objects).
As per claim 13, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the method of claim 10, further comprising:
presenting the menu, the menu including the set of GUI elements, a second GUI element from the set of GUI elements including a second set of visual modifier depictions, a third visual modifier depiction from the set of visual modifier depictions corresponding to the first object and indicating a third visual modifier for the first object, a fourth visual modifier depiction from the set of visual modifier depictions corresponding to the second object and indicating a fourth visual modifier for the second object (Hoguet, Fig.45, para.369-379, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers; Fig.45, ProductSet2 934; para.376, selection of another product set);
receiving a second user interaction indicating a second selection of the second GUI element (Hoguet, Fig.45, para.369-379, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers; Fig.45, ProductSet2 934; para.376, selection of another product set); and
modifying, in the MR scene, the first presentation of the first object based on the second selection such that the third visual modifier is applied to the first object in the MR scene (Hoguet, Fig.45, ProductSet2 934; para.376, selection of another product set).
As per claim 14, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the method of claim 13, wherein the fourth visual modifier is a different visual modifier as the second visual modifier and the method further comprises: modifying, in the MR scene, the second presentation of the second object based on the second selection such that the fourth visual modifier is applied to the second object in the MR scene (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379, objects may be changed to another modifier thru Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers).
As per claim 15, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the method of claim 13, wherein the fourth visual modifier is a same visual modifier as the second visual modifier and the method further comprises: forgoing a modification in the MR scene of the second presentation of the second object based on the second selection of the second GUI element including the fourth visual modifier depiction indicating the fourth visual modifier for the second object (Hoguet, para.379, retain trim/baseboard/colors/texture).
As per claim 16, the device of Hoguet and Thompson teaches the method of claim 10, further comprising: presenting a second menu the menu including an indication of visual modifiers depicted in the set of visual modifier depictions (Hoguet Fig.45, para.369-379, Flooring/Window/Trim Paint modifiers).
Claim 18 is similar in scope to claim 2, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 19 is similar in scope to claim 4, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 20 is similar in scope to claim 13, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kropf et al. (US 2023/0119387) teaches a method of applying styles to objects.
Cuthbertson et al. (US 2019/0311550).
Hickman et al. (US 2013/0257856) teaches a method of changing materials to modify a 3D image.
Mueller et al. (US 2020/0327733) teaches a method of using modifiers to modify theme of images.
Vaddadi et al. (US 2013/0187905) teaches a method of using modifiers to modify color or shape of an object model.
Ur et al. (US 9,953,462) teaches a method of implementing AR skins on images.
Pathmanathan (US 10,712,923) teaches a method of modifying parameters of a room object.
Inquiries
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAJEDA MUHEBBULLAH whose telephone number is (571)272-4065. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Tue/Thur-Fri 10am-8pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William L Bashore can be reached at 571-272-4088. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/S.M./
Sajeda MuhebbullahExaminer, Art Unit 2174
/WILLIAM L BASHORE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2174
